Second hand is ALWAYS the way to go for bags.
This idea kind of grosses me out. I've seen what women do with their handbags...putting them on bathroom floors, restaurant floors, etc. Ew. I gotta be honest here: I would be less than thrilled if my husband bought me a used handbag. That's a no for me. YMMV.
That said, here are a few insights you might not be aware of because you don't carry a handbag:
Certain handles are pretty much guaranteed to not last as long. If a handle is sewn directly onto the bag, especially with "horizontal" stitching (across the handle), it's prone to rip at the stitching. Here's an example from Fossil:
https://www.fossil.com/us/en/products/keely-tote-sku-zb6934005c.htmlOn the other hand, handles/straps that have a metal "joint" are good for a couple of reasons: they avoid the problem above, and they allow the handles to fall, which I prefer. Here's an example:
https://www.fossil.com/us/en/products/kendall-satchel-sku-zb7103001c.htmlZip-tops are much more secure than snap tops.
Shoulder straps and cross-body bags enable hands-free carrying, which is nice, so I'd recommend either for a long-term, everyday bag.
If you read reviews, you'll see that many women like a lot of built-in pockets. I could go either way on this. If your wife's current bag has them, she'll likely want them.
Bags that are on the deep discount rack/shelf/display at big department stores (such as Macy's in the states) are generally there because they're ugly or otherwise unappealing.
Bags that are too deep (top to bottom) can get annoying because everything falls to the bottom and you have to dig to find what you need. We don't want to work that hard to find our keys, pen, powder, etc.
Many women like an exterior pocket for their cell phone. Optional, especially if your wife is security-minded.
Brands I like: Fossil, Brahmin, Frye (Okay, I don't have any Frye bags, but they make some nice ones). I love the softness of the Fossil leather. And I love the stiffness of Brahmin.
Brands many women like: Coach, Kate Spade, Michael Kors (Michael...ahem...REALLY likes his stuff, price-wise; way overpriced in my opinion).
Good luck!